The Voice of the Martyrs' blog, sharing powerful stories and timely information that invites and inspires American Christians into fellowship with their persecuted family around the world.

Posts from July 2009

July 31, 2009

SICHUAN – Authorities abolished the Christian Church of Huaguan Town,
a house church in Huaguan town,
Nanbu county,
Sichuan province,
and arrested three church members on June 29,
2009. Since then,
house church members have faced heavy persecution and are asking Christians around the world for prayer.

The church service started in 2002 in a member's house, and has been
gathering at a church building built with the help of Christians from
Zhejiang province since August 2006. On March 23, 2009 the church was
raided by six Public Security Bureau (PSB) and government officers who
confiscated both the property of the church and a check with more than
10,000 yuan which was the believers' offerings.

The PSB officers covered the Chinese characters “God Loves the
World" on the top of the gate with iron plates. Authorities accused the
Christians of being a cult, Falun Gong and a reactionary organization.

Three church leaders,
Mr. Chai Yongwen,
Ms.Yang Huimin and Mr. Ma Deyan,
were taken away for interrogation. Later,
Mr. Cai Yongwen received 15 days of administrative detention,
and Ms. Yang Huimin received five days of administrative detention.

The Christian Church of Huaguan Town sent a statement to the
international community in which they made the following request for
prayer, “We hereby request the brothers and sisters to pray for the
expansion of the Gospel in the disaster areas of Sichuan, and we
implore God to give us His wisdom and strength while dealing with these
rulers!”

WASHINGTON, DC – On July 28, Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, spoke for the second time from the Senate floor regarding kidnapped Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng. Gao, who was last seen on February 4 being forcibly escorted away by Chinese security agents, has now been missing 175 days. In his speech, Senator Dorgan urged the Chinese government to reveal his whereabouts and justify the grounds for his continued detention. Senator Dorgan stated:

“I have written to the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, and received a letter back from him that was a nonanswer. I call on the Ambassador again to answer the questions: Where is Mr. Gao being held? Is Mr. Gao alive? What is the Chinese Government doing to this poor soul who had previously been tortured simply because he ran afoul of the state by speaking out and practicing law on behalf of those who are vulnerable in China?

“We call on the Chinese Government to give us information about Mr. Gao, to allow him access to a lawyer and to his family and to publicly state and justify the grounds for his continued abuse. The right to speak freely and to challenge the government, all of these are enshrined in the constitution in China. Yet it appears the Chinese Government and the Communist Party seem intent on upholding the violation of these rights in the case of Mr. Gao. …

“I urge the government of China to disclose his whereabouts and justify the grounds for his continued detention. Once again, this is a photograph of a very courageous man, a very courageous Chinese lawyer, who has been incarcerated and tortured and now has been apparently abducted, perhaps killed. We do not know. I call on the Chinese Government to tell us what has happened to Mr. Gao.”

Senator Dorgan spoke for the first time from the Senate floor regarding Gao Zhishengs on April 23, and Gao Zhisheng’s wife, Geng He, and Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, were present.

To date, more than 106,000 concerned citizens in the U.S. and around the world have signed a petition on Gao Zhisheng’s behalf requiring the Chinese government to give an account of Gao’s whereabouts and ask for his immediate release.

Contact the Chinese embassy on behalf of Gao Zhisheng and ask for his immediate release and that the government give an account of his current whereabouts and condition.Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong3505 International Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008Tel: (202) 495-2000Fax: (202) 588-9760

Visit www.FreeGao.com to advocate for Gao Zhisheng’s release: sign the petition; view the video; send e-mails to Chinese officials and find out more information about Gao Zhisheng.

ChinaAid grants permission to reproduce photos and/or information for non-fundraising purposes, with the provision that www.ChinaAid.org is credited. Please contact:Katherine@ChinaAid.org with questions or requests for further information.

Mission Network News is reporting that tensions are rising again in Nigeria.

Nigeria (MNN) ― Clashes with Taliban-style militants in Nigeria have claimed over 300 lives in the past four days. Efforts are being made to try to keep sectarian violence from spreading in the country's northern states. On July 26, Islamists attacked police stations in the northeastern state of Bauchi. The unrest then spread to neighboring Yobe and Borno states. Fighting has also been reported in Katsina and Kano states. Christians across the 12 sharia-governed states of northern Nigeria are holding their breath.

It's a tinderbox situation. Jacob Kramer with Christian Reformed World Relief Committee says, "It raises the level of tension between tribes, particularly between the two main religions in Nigeria: Muslims and Christians." MORE

July 29, 2009

On July 23, Yemane Kahasay Andom, a Christian imprisoned for his faith in Eritrea died after authorities denied him medical treatment, according to Compass Direct News.

Yemane is the third Christian to die in prison this year. He died at Mitire Confinement Center from complications with malaria and was reportedly tortured while in prison. It is believed his body was secretly buried at the camp.

According to Compass Direct, two weeks prior to his death, Yemane was allegedly weakened by continuous physical torture and solitary confinement because he refused to sign a recantation form.Though Compass reports it is not clear what the contents of the recantation form were, most Christians interpret the signing of such a form as the denouncement of their faith in Christ.

The Eritrean government persecutes Christians, often placing believers in metal containers that are extremely hot during the day and cold during the night. Nearly 1,800 Eritrean Christians are believed to be under arrest because of their religious beliefs. They are being held in police stations, military camps and prisons in 12 known locations across Eritrea. It is believed more than 28 clergymen are being held.

Jailed Christians are routinely subjected to physical beatings and severe psychological pressure to deny their religious beliefs. Police and military authorities continue to demand the prisoners return to one of the three “official” Christian denominations recognized by the government. But even the legally recognized denominations — the nation’s historic Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches — have come under government disfavor in recent years, incurring threats and even imprisonment.

The Voice of the Martyrs provides assistance and encouragement to persecuted believers in Eritrea. VOM has supported the families of martyred believers through VOM’s Families of Martyrs fund. VOM encourages you to pray for the Andom family and believers in Eritrea. Ask God to comfort others who have lost loved ones. Pray that Eritrean Christians will continue to follow Christ's example of faithfulness, even at great cost. Pray that Eritrea's leaders will repent and come to faith in Christ.

On June 29, Pastor Dou Shaowen who is currently serving a one-year
sentence for “engaging in illegal activities” was secretly transferred
to Shifo Re-education through Labor Center in Zhengzhou city, Henan
province, according to China Aid Association.

His family was not informed of his transfer. Pastor Dou, his wife,
Feng Lu, and five other believers were arrested on June 14 when
government officials raided and closed the Rock Church. The police
confiscated computers and other church property from the church. Both
Pastor Dou and his wife were sentenced to a year in prison and the
other believers were sentenced to 15 days in detention and fined 500
Yuan (US$73). However, Feng Lu will serve her sentence at home so she
can care for their 12-year-old daughter.

China Aid reported that Pastor Dou has been treated inhumanely in
the labor camp. “When he wanted to talk to the police officers, he was
forced to squat. He worked 18 hours a day from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight.
Over 70 people sleep in a room,” China Aid said. They also report that
due to the hot weather and the poor sanitary conditions, some prisoners
have eczema, herpes and other skin diseases. They have had to work 18
hours a day without enough to eat.

Feng Lu attempted to visit her husband in prison, but was told she
was not allowed to visit him for a month. She is required to report to
the Public Security Bureau police regularly and could be sent to labor
camp if she is found “engaging in illegal religious activities” again.

The Voice of the Martyrs has worked with and supported persecuted
Christians in China for more than 30 years. VOM encourages you to pray
for Pastor Dou and his family during this challenging time. Ask God to
protect and encourage them. Ask God to especially minister to their
12-year-old daughter during this time.

July 27, 2009

On Friday Fox News posted a chilling story about a Christian woman who was executed for simply giving a bible away. Her family was put into a prison camp the following day. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY.

The bible says in Psalm 116:14 - 16 - I will fulfill my vows to the LORD,in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains.

So when I read this story this morning I can rejoice knowing that this dear brother stood for his faith, but at the same time it grieves my heart to see such persecution.

Since we do not know from this report much about his family, please pray as the Lord leads you. Thank you.

LOS ANGELES, July 27 (Compass Direct News) – Another Christian imprisoned for his faith in Eritrea has died from authorities denying him medical treatment, according to a Christian support organization. Sources told Netherlands-based Open Doors that Yemane Kahasay Andom, 43, died Thursday (July 23) at Mitire Military Confinement Center. A member of the Kale-Hiwot church in Mendefera, Andom was said to be secretly buried in the camp. Weakened by continuous torture, Andom was suffering from a severe case of malaria, Open Doors reported in a statement today. “He was allegedly further weakened by continuous physical torture and solitary confinement in an underground cell the two weeks prior to his death for his refusal to sign a recantation form,” the organization said. “It is not clear what the contents of the recantation form were, but most Christians interpret the signing of such a form as the denouncement of their faith in Christ.”

Leonard Dober wondered if Jesus had thought the cross too much; then he remembered Jesus’ prayer in the garden ended, “Not my will, but yours, Father.” Leonard’s task seemed impossible, but he was pursuing God’s will and not his own.

Leonard Dober determined that God’s call to him was to reach slaves in the Virgin Islands. He planned to reach these men and women by selling himself as a slave and working alongside others each day while sharing Jesus’ love with them. The thought of being a slave frightened and sickened him. He dreaded the treatment he would receive. “But Christ was willing to die on the cross for me,” he thought. “No price is too high to serve him.”

It wasn’t the slave masters who were Dober’s harshest persecutors, but rather fellow Christians. They questioned his call to minister to slaves and ridiculed him as a fool for his plan. But Dober would not be dissuaded. He arrived in the Virgin Islands late in the 1730s.

When he became a servant in the governor’s house, he feared that this position was too far removed from the slaves to whom he had come to minister. So he left and moved from the governor’s house to a mud hut where he could work one-on-one with slaves.

In just three years, Dober’s ministry included more than thirteen thousand new converts.

Jesus freaks. That’s what the world calls those whose faith seems a bit radical. Odd. Extreme. Dober was an eighteenth century “Jesus freak”—a free man who chose to live as a slave in order to win them to Jesus. He was willing to do whatever it took to squeeze the last ounce of devotion from his heart in service to Christ. For Dober, that meant a specific plan that made sense to no one but him. Have you been written off because of your freakish refusal to go along with the majority rule? If God has called you to do something radical for him in your family, church, or community, you must obey. Let others call you crazy, but may Jesus find you committed.

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Wow, and wow! This was such an inspiring devotion from the book Extreme Devotion. What did you think?